Friday, December 15, 2006

I found some new details about Capt Joseph Ludwig. I've been trying to fully document the line for a DAR application, and was trying a few new avenues of research. I found a post to a mailing list that led me to information I should have had, but somehow missed.

WHAT WE KNEW:

He was a ship's captain, born in Waldoboro, Maine. The Ludwigs came over with General Waldo in 1753. The patriarch (Capt Joe's great-grandfather), Joseph, (1699-1753) died enroute. His wife and three children - two sons and a daughter - continued the journey and helped found Waldoboro.

Capt. Joseph's grandfather was Joseph Henry Ludwig, who fought in the Revolution under the command of his brother, Jacob. They both served as councilmen for the town, and Jacob served as a Justice of the Peace.

Capt. Joseph's father, John, died when Joseph was 6 years old.

Capt Ludwig appeared on the 1850 Census in Boston, the 1860 Census in New York City, and the 1870 Census in Jersey City. In 1850, he was a "mariner," but by 1860 he was a ship's captain.

Capt. Joseph married Catherine 'Cate' Post, and had a daugher, Transylvania. Transylvania married John Rouse of Jersey City, and they had a daughter, which they named Transylvania Gifford Rouse.

WHAT'S NEW:

I found a lot of my data on him in a genealogy of the Ludwig family. BUT I did NOT read all the way back to find his brief biography, all I got was his lineage, and family data. A few lines in the first half of the book. I thought I did well. But I missed the juicy bits.

The book is "Ludwig Genealogy : sketch of Joseph Ludwig, who was born in Germany in 1699, and his wife and family, who settled at "Broad Bay,"copyright 1866.

Turning to page 113, we learn:

Not only did he command ships, he owned several of them.

He commanded a 'government steamship' for the Union during the War Between the States.

In February 12 of 1866, he bought the Vicksburg and Shreveport Railroad at auction for $50,000.

As of 1866, he is reportedly retired. He was 45 years old at that time. Not bad.

So he was really well off. And this fits with the quality of the center table that has been passed down; it is an extremely fine work of Victorian Aesthetic.

NEW DATA THAT'S TURNED UP:So with new data, I began researching him to see what else I could find. And what I found was his death notice, published in the Brooklyn Eagle on July 9, 1870:

About Me; C. L. Jahn

I've taken up the role of family genealogist from my Aunt, Dorothy Grant, nee Jahn, and the late Sheppard Joslin.
Most of my family research deals with Delaware Valley or New Jersey ancestors, except the Tibbitt line (Maryland) and the Ludwigs (Maine).

My Immigrants

Abraham Joslin came to the Plymouth Colony in 1636, following his parents and family, who came over on the INCREASE in 1635. (8 generations)
Joseph Henry Ludwig came over in 1753 to found Waldoboro, Maine. (6 generations)
Henry Felten came over in 1767 with his family to settle in Philadelphia. (6 generations)
Martin Rouse came over from Ireland around 1838 with his parents. He started as a cooper, and died a very wealthy businessman in Jersey City. (5 generations)
Frederick Jahn emigrated to Philadelphia in 1858 at age 17 to become a baker. (4 generations)

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